Jake Locker cleared for contact

Locker returned to practice on Wednesday and coach Mike Munchak said Thursday that the quarterback has been cleared for contact. That’s a necessary step for Locker to take before he’s going to be inserted back into the offense.

Munchak isn’t willing to say that Locker’s return won’t come this weekend. Jim Wyatt of the Tennessean reports that the coach said Locker did more team drills on Thursday than he did the previous day and that the quarterback looked better on Thursday as well, leading Munchak to resist ruling him out for Week Seven. For his part, Locker said he’s preparing as if he’s starting the game and that his right hip and knee are both feeling good.

Friday will bring a definitive answer as to Locker’s status for Sunday’s game against the 49ers, but the limited practice time after a long layoff still points toward a return after the bye in Week Eight.

I don’t know about this, guys. Sometimes I think this kid is too gutsy for his own good. He ruined his season last year by attempting to body-slam a defender-turned-ballcarrier. (How many games did his left shoulder pop out after that?)

Now, here he is trying to play on Sunday … Dude was hobbling around with a major limp just yesterday. The team admitted his MCL sprain is actually more serious than his hip injury now and seeing that big brace on his leg? I admit it, I’m having RGIII flashbacks. Yes, we need him back badly, but not enough to jeopardize his season.

There’s no way he doesn’t get injured again if he plays this week. Rest him til week 9. I hate losing, but I hate risking losing Jake for the entire season even more. I was iffy on him the first few games, but he proved himself in his last 2. We need him healthy to win!

Get your run game going and you’ll help whoever is the quarterback. Jake Locker can only do so much. Fitzpatrick could probably be better if the run game gets established.

A month ago this whole town-radio and TV, armchair quarterbacks-were all questioning whether Locker had what it took to be an NFL quarterback…people are idiots, it’s on the whole team, not just one guy.

titans12thman says:Oct 17, 2013 11:27 PM

We need him back bad but we still have a shot at the postseason if we lose this week without him….jacksonville has no hope, houstons qb situation is worse off than us, and if Indy loses to enough common afc opponents (like san diego last sunday), once Jake gets back and wins a few games our playoff hopes are alive again….

Play Jake when you are 100 % …the thing is this injury is something that no one knew how bad it was, it’s a hip injury and it could be something that wasn’t as bad reported and he could play against the 49ers but if there is risk to re-injure then Locker should not play…

Fitzpatrick just can’t stop turning the ball over ….50 times since 2011 including 42 interceptions since the start of that season…

In the NFL no Quarterback can win consistently long term by turning over the football…look at Alex Smith…all he does is play average and not turn the ball over…and he wins…that’s the recipe for success in the NFL ….Russell Wilson has been following that winning recipe as well for the most part…